Fred Warner agreed to a record-breaking extension with the 49ers on Wednesday. We heard at the time it was for five years and a whopping $95MM, and now we have the full details.
For starters, the contract comes with $40.5MM guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. But beyond that, Rapoport writes that the pact has a “unique structure that essentially makes it two deals in one.” Warner’s contract is for five years, but voids after the first three. He’ll get $54.9MM in new money over those three years, an average of $18.3MM per year.
That’s slightly less than the $19MM per year implied by the 5/95, but it still beats Bobby Wagner‘s 2019 extension ($18MM AAV) to make him the highest-paid inside linebacker in NFL history. Where it gets a bit complicated is that the 49ers can then “buy back” the final two years of the deal after they’ve voided if they choose to, by paying Warner $21.85MM in 2025.
That would mean Warner would get $76.75MM over the first four years, an average of around $19.2MM annually. The way Rapsheet describes it, it’s a “record-breaking short-term extension that’s nearly 70 percent guaranteed” for Warner, that “also gives the 49ers a choice to make a few years down the road.”
Warner was a first-team All-Pro last season and has been an extremely reliable asset for Kyle Shanahan’s defense, playing 95 percent of the snaps the past three years.
I’m not trying to be funny but when I think of unique I think of money off the books. Wouldn’t it benefit the 49ers to have money off the cap and conversely for Warner to get a large chunk of money tax free? How do we actually know these type of deals do not occur? I can tell you I’d like to get a briefcase full of 100 dollar bills!
Seriously or how do we know someone didnt slip him 200 btc
I’d take the Bitcoin
I would think the NFL has enough problems without trying to run “off the books” scams. The IRA generally disapproves of something like that.
Actually, the Irish won’t care; but the IRS might.
And, yes I know it was a typo.
Maybe the IRA fund managers would be upset they don’t their cut.
So it sounds like a three year extension in reality. The team option is just for two years as a second, prenegotiated contract. They’re really insulating themselves, but does Warner think that’s good or bad in three years if they waver on paying out the $21.85 million? The price sounds reasonable for two years of good or above level linebacker play, but the numbers don’t add up.
The compensation for the next years must not be included in the $21.85, because I don’t think a guy would sign a deal that goes from paying him over $19 million a year to about $10 suddenly. And the numbers don’t seem right. I could be wrong, but it seems like the $21.85 number is just a price for the right to pay the final years, and is separate from the per year salary? If so, is that $21.85 million included somewhere in either the guarantees or overall salary? Just a little confused with how it’s described. If the Niners “activate” the final two years, what’s the yearly average then?